Tossing out all the 'rules'

Kina457

We are almost at the tail end of planning our December wedding.  We started planning a 1 and 1/2 months ago. We chose a gorgeous private villa in the DR (http://www.casakimball.com/), did a site visit 2 weeks ago and have selected a photographer. With the exception of a few minor details we are just about done. Granted the villa manager who used to be a wedding planner is amazing and very on top of things which is a huge help.

It's going to be around 50-60 people and since it's a DW we already sent out our invites electronically via http://www.myinvitationlink.com/ skipping the traditional 'save the dates' and paper invites.

It's going to be a 3 day/night event and yet all the details are almost taken care of.  We are not having a bridal party, registering, having any showers, providing favors (which I feel like everyone throws out anyway), doing any traditional dances or speeches.  We will have some customized elements throughout the weekend when our guests will be asked to actively participate but it will be totally unlike any wedding I've been to since we are shaping each experience and interaction.

I feel like a lot of weddings are cookie cutter.....I'm sure we are not the only ones out there throwing out the 'rules' and customs.

I'd love to hear about some unique and different elements people are coordinating into their wedding experience.

kimberlyann1974

Hi Kina!

 I think that sounds great! I am totally all for wedding's being very much a reflection of the people getting married. We are having a small wedding in a small park, under a gazebo...everyone will be standing around us in a circle. 

Our officiant is awesome, she is writing our ceremony from scratch based on things she has learned about us through us..and also she is currently in cahoots with my daughter making plans that we are not allowed to know about LOL (sigh..thank God I trust her!)

I have a huge wedding party, but in total I only have about 40 guests or so...6 people on each side, plus 2 flower girls, 2 ring bearers....but I picked them when our wedding was going to be big...and wasn't about to demote anyone. Besides I them all =D

My aunts will be walking in place of my mom, to honor her since she cannot be here with us. =( 

We are having a harpist play our ceremony music..she is playing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkle to seat the "parents"(to honor my mom) then my girls are walking to " I'll Follow You Into the Dark" by Deathcab for Cutie, I'm walking to "All I Want is You" by U2 and our recessional is "First Day of My Life" by Bright eyes.

We will have appetizers waiting at the ceremony so everyone can graze on something light whioe walking around the park and listening to our harpist play..before the ceremony is to start.

After the ceremony we are having dinner in a private room of a restaurant, we're doing a 4 course dinner, then after we are going on a boat tour of our awesome waterway here..where there will be dancing and drinks...and a friend of ours is playing us a song he wrote specifically for us..I'm very excited! I think it's perfect for who we are

CaptiolBride

I've just about voided out many traditions and customs because I'm marrying a girl
But I'm ok with that. lol Everything seems geared towards a "bride" and "groom" so we are making up our own "rules"

amclausen

I'm not throwing out all of the rules, only most.  We're planning a sunrise ceremony on the beach next to a Civil War Fort.  And by ceremony, I mean we're going to have a friend or family member perform a short, informal ceremony (no seating or decorations, who needs 'em?)  Afterwards there's going to be a tour of the fort given by a wonderful first-person presenter, while we take pictures.

The reception is going to be about four hours later in a different location and the "theme" is going to be board games.  I'm not a drinker nor much of a dancer.  All of my friends and family love playing games.  So, we're going to have extra tables set up where guests can take board/card games over to play.

No flowers, no coordinating colors, no DJ (will have an iPod though), and no stressing over whether this goes with that.  I'd much prefer to mediate Skipbo disputes between Grandma and my cousins, : )  Before I came up with this idea, I was contemplating eloping because I had NO enthusiasm about planning this wedding.  Now I can't wait to start projects and tell people about it.  I'm having a blast.

[Deleted User]

Ours is part traditional, part completely different. For example, we're having a traditional blanket ceremony done by my great uncle, a Cherokee elder, during the ceremony. The reception is more backyard BBQ than anything else, complete with my grandma's mashed potatoes and gravy (so deliciously awesome). Also, we don't really have much of a wedding party, just a MOH and best man.

We're also not doing any showers or bachelor/bachelorette parties, they seem like a waste of time to us. As for favors, we are giving away these little bottles and shovels filled with birdseed, since we both love nature. I don't give a damn what they do with the glass bottles.

I'm also what most people on here would probably consider tacky or classless, as I have no problem telling people to bring their own alcohol, go home when it gets to be one in the morning or some other ungodly hour (considering the wedding is at 1), or getting their kid under control.